Prior research on the use of enzymes as feed additives has resulted in the creation and application of commercial products in the swine or poultry industry. In these applications, the applied enzymes supplement the endogenous digestive enzymes in the host animal; remove anti-nutritional factors such as .beta.-glucans from problem feedstuffs such as barely; render certain nutrients readily available and enhance the energy value of feed stuffs. However, prior research on the addition of enzymes to ruminant diets has not supported the feeding of carbohydrase enzyme preparations to improve ruminal fiber digestion. This is due to the rapid degradation of the unprotected exogenous enzyme by ruminal bacterial protease which occurs prior to the enzyme effecting carbohydrate digestion.